Batter Up!

A few words in honor of the last day of the SDLL Red Sox's Spring 2013 season:

You'll get 'em next time. Good eye. Good swing. Good cut. Good play. Run it out. You're a hitter. Be picky. Fast hands. Quick bat. Get out of the dirt. Get your glove dirty. Step out of the box. Baseball ready. Eye on the ball. Watch it come in. Don't throw the bat. Where's the play? Get it to the pitcher.

Busted Up and Breaking Up

When last I wrote, I was anxiously awaiting the strength and fortitude that Spring 2013 was surely going to bestow upon the WBs. While Spring is not yet over, and I suppose there's a chance that things could turn around, since my last post we've had:

2 Ear infections (Mr Butler)
1 Six-day hospital stay (A-Train)
1 Gnarly case of poison ivy (Big D)
1 ER visit (Mr Butler) which required six staples to the head


It's a damn good thing he's cute, because he is TROUBLE!



Adding insult to, well, injury, the WBs endured a big loss last month. Our nanny, Melissa, who has been with us for six years (which means she has been with this family longer than my two younger children!!) left us to open her own daycare. We miss her so!

She wasn't just our nanny, she was a second mom to my kids, and a friend to me, and a part of our family. The kids she's looking after now are so lucky (and I hope their mamas know it!), and we are so lucky to have had such a wonderful six years. And though we all knew this day was coming, breaking up is hard to do! Especially when you're breaking up with someone you still want to be with- different life paths, and all that stuff.

And Melissa's departure means something more. It means that I don't have any babies left. My babies are growing up and don't need the full-time attention that I've been doling out for the past 7.25 years. And so, a new chapter begins for me too.

I hope this chapter involves a full-night's sleep.

The Winter of Our Discontent

I noticed the daffodils starting to bloom about two weeks ago, and I thought to myself, "it's about damn time." Daffodils in bloom surely mean that Spring is on its way. It's not just that I hate cold weather and that I sure could use a little sun on my pasty-white legs. Frankly, this winter has been a bitch for the WBs.

From mid-November until the day I noticed the flowers sprouting up toward the sun the WBs had endured, in no particular order:

8 cases of strep throat (1 for me, 3 for A-Train, and 4 for Big D)
1 case of croup (Mr Butler)
1 ER visit (Mr Butler)
3 trips to Urgent Care (1 for A-Train, 2 for me)
1 fight with our pediatrician's on-call nurse (by me, about Big D)
1 fever of 105.3 (Big D)
2 types of allergy testing for 2 kids (blood and skin- for A-Train and Big D, respectively)
1 trip to the ENT for bizarro ear pain (me)
1 trip to the ENT for a surgery consult (Big D)
1 trip to a pediatric GI (A-Train)
various and sundry coughs, colds, runny noses, sore throats
enough antibiotics to fell a whole family of horses

So when I saw those lemon-colored blossoms, I knew that the end of illness season was upon us. Just knew it. Sure, we'd have to endure some seasonal allergies and probably a few of the kind of bumps and bruises that come with outdoor warm-weather fun, but the worst was surely behind us as we headed into last Thursday.

That's the day that Cap'n, slowly recovering from the cold we've all been sharing for the past four months, coughed himself into unconsciousness. Yep, you read that right. Apparently, it happens all.the.damn.time. At least that's what the lovely doctor in the ER (you know the ER they took him to in the ambulance after I called 911 because the man was unconscious on the couch) told us.

She told us that after Cap'n had been there overnight, had a chest X-ray, submitted to three rounds of bloodwork, been threatened with a stress test, had I-don't-even-know-how-many EKGs, and been poked and prodded by a whole slew of people. Oh, and it was definitely after they had come to his "room" in the ER to get my credit card. (So, here's a head's up, if you're going to the Duke ER, even by ambulance, don't forget your purse!)

And that wasn't it for the evening. When I finally came home late that night, Mr Butler was rocking a temp of 105.3. Two weeks ago, when Big D had that temp, I was out of my mind with worry. Having had one kid survive that fever, I was much less worried about Mr Butler, but good god, can't a girl catch a break?

I am happy to announce that Cap'n is home and fine and well-medicated. And thank FSM for good health insurance. Mr Butler is also nearly recovered. I'm also thrilled that I have such awesome friends and relatives (the two Melissas and my dear sister, Laura) to look after my kids during this whole ordeal!

And, appropos of nothing at all, I'd like to thank the roll of the genetic dice for giving me The Incredible Hulk as a son. Here's what he did during his "nap" today.


Sometimes all you can do is laugh to keep the tears away.

Oh Blog, How I've Neglected You!

Wow, I'm a serious slacker! It's been nearly 5 months since I've written a post!

Did you happen to notice that my last post was written about two weeks after The Boys went back to school? Is it possible that I have even less free time when they're in school than when they're out?

Since I last posted, some of us went to Disney World to belatedly celebrate Big D's fourth birthday. (See him there on the Teacups trying not to puke?)

One of us had to stay home with Auntie, and by all accounts, have no fun at all!

We all got dressed up and harassed our neighbors for candy.

We went to see this guy who brought us all everything we wanted, including a Christmas visit from Grandma Jane!

We sent out the world's cutest Christmas card.

The one in the highchair there turned, and I quote, "no two!"

And that one there, with his hand in the cake, today is his birthday. He's SEVEN.YEARS.OLD! For those of you who have not yet had a seven-year-old, let me tell you, seven is a hell of a lot older than six!!


So, in other words, this family is incredibly busy, as all families are. But stay tuned for more frequent posts!

The Over-Indulged Youngest Child

Here it is, the post you've all been waiting for!

Mr Butler, Cap'n and I are all the youngest members of our respective natal families, and trust us, it sucks!

Top Ten Reasons Why it Sucks to Be the Youngest:

10) Being the smallest- though not for long in Mr. Butler's case

9) Never being able to get a word in

8) Having parents who have seen it all before and are non-plussed by anything I can come up with

7) Mama will forever refer to me as her baby. Even when she is 100 and I am 66, she'll still be calling me the baby.

6) I will never, if I live to be 100, be considered an adult by my older brothers.

5) Getting the smallest portions at the dinner table

4) Everything I do is compared to how my brothers did it

3) Being my parents' last hope

2) Watching the big boys do things that I know I could do if Mama would let me

1) Always being last


But the number one best thing about being the youngest child is knowing in your heart that you are Mama's favorite!

The Overburdened Eldest Child

Looks like pure, unadulterated joy, doesn't it? It's an illusion. It ain't easy being the oldest.

Top 10 Reasons Why it Sucks to Be the Oldest Child

10) Sharing my bedroom

9) Sharing my bathroom

8) Sharing my toothpaste

7) Sharing my parents- who are no doubt just practicing on me and will do a much better job with my younger brothers.

6) Sharing my auntie

5) Sharing my toys

4) Sharing my books

3) Sharing my name

2) Sharing my wisdom, by beginning all responses to statements by my younger brothers with "actually."

1) Never sharing the blame


But the number one best thing about being the oldest child is knowing in your heart that you are Mama's favorite!

The Jan Brady Syndrome

Big D circling the sun four times!


In honor of my middle child, who is celebrating his fourth birthday today:

Top 10 Reasons Why it Sucks to Be the Middle Child

10)Hand me downs from an older brother with an entirely different style asthetic

9) After every statement you make, your older brother begins with, "actually."

8) No one notices how freaking awesome you are because your older brother is casting such a big shadow over you.

7) No one notices how freaking awesome you are because they're so busy doting on your baby brother.

6) Being "old enough to know better" but too young to stop yourself.

5) Never having had a single day in your life when Mama and Papa weren't preoccupied with thoughts of your older brother.

4) Adoring an older brother who doesn't always want you around.

3) Being adored by a younger brother who you don't always want around.

2) Being the second to do everything.

1) A-Train, A-Train, A-Train!


But the number one best thing about being the middle child is knowing in your heart that you are Mama's favorite!