Winter Blues

I hate winter.

I feel like once Christmas and New Year's have come and gone, it really serves no purpose. 

I know that we here in the Pacific Northwest may not exactly have that much of a right to complain, as opposed to those in the midwest who completely get buried by FEET of snow, and are expected to - not only survive - but actually be productive human beings in sub-zero degree temperatures. But, our winter can be just as depressing. When January arrives we are shrouded in a grayness that gets into your very soul. Even though winter days are supposedly "short", they seem to be never-ending, becoming one really long, depressing day.

Every once in awhile we get a bit of a tease with a bright, sunny - albeit cold - day, and everyone starts smiling again, and talking about how we will hopefully have an early spring. But then, just as our optimism and hope begin to come out of hibernation - BAM! We get sneak-attacked by some random snow storm when on the very cusp of springtime.

Really, Weather?! This was uncalled for.

You know when I would love some snow? 


December. 


When I am sitting in my house, drinking hot chocolate, decorating the Christmas tree and listening to holiday music. I would love a nice snowfall as we pack the kids in the car and drive around the neighborhood looking at Christmas lights, (okay, well, technically we could still do this one, and just drive back and forth in front of our black sheep neighbor who HASN'T TAKEN HIS CHRISTMAS LIGHTS DOWN YET. But it's not the same).

I do not enjoy snow when we are four months into this wintry season and the kids have had cabin fever for three months of it. On a normal day we can't go outside to play because things are too wet and cold, and now we can't even just go for a drive somewhere to cheer us all up because this stupid snow has made us prisoners in our own house.

I considered taking the boys out in the snow to play, but the last time we went outside Binker ran for our not-childproofed deck, and Ryan ran straight down the hill in our backyard, coming within inches of the ditch at the bottom. Trying to stay in control of the two of them outside by myself just seemed kind of exhausting to me.

Watching the snow fall

So now we're stuck. I am desperately trying to think of fun, new activities to keep the boys entertained within the confines of our house, but when you're dealing with five minute attention spans, it can be tough. Any suggestions on some things that would keep two toddler boys happy?

Alternately, I am also open to prayers for spring. As far as we're concerned, it can't get here fast enough.

This Was All My Fault

So it's been over a month since I last posted on my blog.  

(I am doing AWESOME at keeping my New Year Goals).

We've been pretty busy though, and it's all my fault. 

It started on a Monday. My mom was accompanying the boys and me on a shopping trip, and I mentioned to her that I couldn't believe we had made it so far through the winter season without anyone needing to go to the doctor. Immediately after that I said, "Knock on wood!" 

In our Toyota, however, there is a shortage of wood. So I just knocked on the plastic dashboard and called it good.

Well, the next day, I noticed Binker wasn't acting like himself. On Tuesday night he woke up screaming three different times, and for the next few days he was just fussy and unhappy. I realized something was definitely wrong when I bought him McDonald's for lunch and he wouldn't even touch it.

Things really came to a head that Friday night at 5pm - of course. Right when the doctor's office closed.

I was hoping we would make it through the weekend, but by Saturday evening we found ourselves with a screaming, fussing toddler, who was impossible to console. It was decided that Sunday morning I would take him to the doctor's office to be checked out.

We showed up only an hour after the walk-in clinic opened, and they were already packed. We got in line, with three people ahead of us. Even though Binker hadn't been to the doctor since September, I think he remembered the place, because as soon as we walked in there, he was screaming, and trying to crawl out of the stroller. He didn't want to read any of the books I brought for him, and he didn't want to sing any songs or play any games. He just wanted OUTTA THERE.

This lovely old man that was standing directly in front of us in line kept turning around to give us dirty looks, as if I could somehow shut Binker up. There were so many things I wanted to say to that guy, like:

"We're not at a library. This is a doctor's office, where people come when they are sick. He is a toddler and he is sick. Take a chill pill!"

"If his screaming is bothering you, then turn off your hearing aid!"

"Stop being a jerk face!"

Once it was finally our turn, we found out what the long wait was for. Apparently our clinic just installed a brand new computer system, which meant that instead of simply being able to check-in, like normal, every single person coming into the clinic had to provide their name, address, insurance information, photo ID, social security number, mom's maiden name, the year they graduated from high school, first pet's name, and favorite color. Then you had to sign three different documents that I really don't remember what they were each for, because the entire time the receptionist was explaining them to me Binker was screaming at the top of his lungs since we had already waited in line for 25 minutes and this woman had been talking to me for another five.

When we were finally checked in, and had been told that it would be AN HOUR WAIT, I looked around the waiting room for a good spot to sit. I was so tempted to go seat ourselves right next to the old man who had been in front of us in line, since he seemed to enjoy Binker's screaming so much. But I resisted.

Instead, we found a quiet corner by ourselves next to the big fish tank. That kept Binker occupied for a total of three minutes. Then we read book after book after book until they thankfully called his name.

Even though the whole waiting process had been a nightmare, the doctor got to our room quickly and it only took him about two seconds to realize that Binker had an ear infection, (almost a double ear infection). I was so relieved to have a diagnosis, I just knew something was wrong with the poor kid.

Binker was NOT happy to have the doctor poking around in his ears, so to make amends he gave Binker two Thomas the Train stickers, which seemed to be an acceptable peace offering. We raced over to the pharmacy afterward, where Binker got two more stickers! You could just see it in his eyes: BEST DAY EVER!

Thankfully, after 10 days of that good old bubblegum-flavored Amoxicillin, (holy cow did the smell bring back memories), Binker's ear infection was all cleared up and he was feeling much better.

I learned an important lesson in all of this: to keep my mouth shut from now on, and hopefully everyone will stay healthy.